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E-Learning Challenges
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Screencasts and Software Simulations in Online Training #19

DavidAnderson's avatar
11 years ago

Challenge of the week

This week your challenge is to record a screencast or software simulation. You can choose any type of topic that interests you.

Tools

You can use Articulate Storyline, Screenr, or Replay to record your screencasts. And any other tools you want—we really just want to see your examples.

Resources

Last week’s characters in e-learning challenge

E-learning designers have a lot of character and you showed a lot of creative faces over the past week. Before you screencast this week’s blockbuster training movies, check out the trailers from last week’s e-learning character challenge:

Note:

The weekly challenges are ongoing opportunities to learn, share, and build your e-learning portfolios. You can jump into any or all of the previous challenges anytime you want. We’ll feature your work and provide feedback if you request it.

Hope your week is screencastic, E-Learning Heroes!

Even if you’re using a trial version of Studio ’13 or Storyline, you can absolutely publish your challenge files. Just sign up for a fully functional, free trial, and have at it. And remember to post your questions and comments in the forums; we're here to help. For more e-learning tips, examples, and downloads, follow us on Twitter.

Published 11 years ago
Version 1.0
  • Screencast idea:

    Who wants to screencast their latest elearning project? What are some highlights from thee project? What are some edits you made or would have liked to make?

  • Kimerbly - wish I could have met you this week at TK14. Try and connect with Mike Taylor who's there this week. He's doing a workshop today and tomorrow on Studio 13.
  • Jeff - Thanks for sharing your examples and details how you put al 'screenr' together.

    I'm still busy with my entry of this challenge... In my opinion it's one of the hardest!
  • Apparently, my first e-learning course prepared me for many of your challenges, David. Too bad I don't have my file here at the TechKnowledge conference. I used Storyline to record simulations of Microsoft Outlook to correspond to what my course was covering. I learned A LOT recording those three "simple" little videos. I learned that winging it isn't really possible when you want animations and it is amazing how many times you mess up the simplest tasks when you are recording yourself and trying to go slow for the participant. And I of course recorded the screen captures without a real direction or purpose, THEN scripted the audio, and then recorded the audio and added animation. I definitely made my task much harder going in that direction. Next time, I'll know exactly what I want to say and the steps I want to highlight. Then record the audio and the screen captures last...I think.

    Perhaps, I'll think up a new idea and work on that while here.
  • I sure wish David Fair shared more tips:-) Love the Walking Dead effect!

    Jeff - you brought up a great point and hopefully others will share some details around their screencasting process.

    Do you script or outline your screencast before recording? Do you wing it?

    How do you prepare for a screencast? Does your process change when you have 20 screencasts to record?
  • jeff's avatar
    jeff
    Community Member
    What a great challenge. I absolutely agree with David A., screencasting is a crucial skill when transfering knowledge, especially to this generation of youngsters. With platforms like YouTube and Vimeo it has never been easier to bring video based learning content to your audience and tools like Articulate Storyline, Replay, Screenr, Camtasia, Jing, Captivate etc. allow us to create professional content in a way that we couldn't do before without hiring expensive professionals.

    I started with basic How-to videos but now use it for pre-recorded webinars, video lectures etc. As with any skill worth aquiring, it takes practice to become really good. If I think back to when I started doing screencasts most of the first attempts made me feel I was way out of my league. The thing is to not let perfection stand in the way of continuous improvement. Look at what works for you and what doesn't. Remember we're not making Hollywood productions here.

    Now, I'm a bit of a rapid screencaster. I don't script hence the many 'ehms' in my screencasts. I'm making it up as I go along. So there's my area for improvement. It doesn't mean I don't prepare. I often create title and closing screens and nowadays I prepare a good looking example and in doing so I have a general idea of what my story will be. Experience has thought me to record, not in one go but in sections. When I was using Screenr I used to pause my recording, take a breath, think about the next section and press record again. Now that I use Articulate Replay I actually break up my recording into multiple sections e.g. intro-explanation-explanation-outro.

    So as they say at Nike:"Just do it!", and start screencasting. Keep at it and you'll get better and better.

    Here are some examples of my work, for your inspiration and amusement:

    My latest:
    http://youtu.be/8sT0FxDOmkE
    http://youtu.be/52dwFUytwkE

    My first:
    http://www.screenr.com/Qbk
    http://www.screenr.com/dJF
  • Funny, I was watching The Walking Dead last night (and freaking out just a little bit), which reminded me of a screencast I'd done on how to mimic the dirty window animation effect used in the intro of earlier seasons of the show.
    http://www.screenr.com/q0K8